Pomegrante
by Earth
Summary: Ancient Egypt. Just a moment with Pharaoh Akunamukanon and his family. featuring eightyearold!Atemu and elevenyearold!Seto.


AN: Just a writing exercise for me. Attempting to see if it was possible to write child!YamiYugi. Have discovered it's hard. Also an attempt to give more life to Akunamukanon. Cause I like him. Poor dude.   
  
I suppose this breaks canon in the sense that Seto knows Akunadin is his father and all that. Oh well.   
  
Disclaimer.: No own. No profit. No sue.  
  
A sudden breeze lifted the corner of the corner pf the papyrus slightly and Akunomankanon leapt at the opportunity to sigh and lean back in his chair, rubbing his tired eyes. Across the table Akunadin gave his brother a half smile, looking up from his own accounts.  
  
"Tis tedious work, I'll agree," he said softly  
  
Akunomankanon snorted, "tis incredibly dull work is what it is, brother." He sighed again, if only the Nile would rise higher, we wouldn't have to worry about all this rationing." He rose, walking towards the one window cut into the stone room. "My people are hungry Akunadin, I have nothing to give them."  
  
"We will endure," Akunadin said softly.  
  
"Sometimes I think the gods are punishing me," Akunomankanon whispered, hand drifting down to rest on the golden inverted pyramid he wore around his neck. "And I wonder what is it that I can do to appease them?" He took the puzzle in both hands, lifting it slightly. "Ah, what mistakes I have made…."  
  
"You blame yourself still for the destruction of a simple village?" Akunadin's voice came again, breaking the pharaoh out of his thoughts. The priest had moved to stand beside his brother.  
  
"I blame myself for the destruction of innocent lives."  
  
"It was a village of thieves and criminals. We did this land a favour by destroying such a place. The thousand year items have only done good for this land. You forget, brother, but we have harnessed a power unimaginable. By doing this you have given Egypt a strength unimaginable. The power to conquer the world is in your hands."  
  
"Yet my people starve."  
  
"Your people will survive, but only if their King has strength!" Akunadin said fiercely, meeting his brother's gaze.   
  
After a few moments Akunomankanon sighed, "you are right. I should not worry over such things when there is work to be done. Come, let us finish these ration counts."  
  
*~*  
  
Children's laughter pierced the quiet of the hall, both king and priest looking up as the door was flung open as what appeared to be nothing more than a scarlet and gold blur ran into the room. Akunamakanon looked around in surprise as his eight year old son ducked behind his chair.  
  
"Atemu, what in Ra's name-"  
  
"Shhhh!!!" Akunadin and Akunamakanon shared a confused glance.  
  
The hall doors flew upon once again, this time to admit what appeared to be a rather harassed looking apprentice priest, judging by their robes.  
  
"All right, where are you , you little monster?!" Seto snarled, pulling on the hem of his robe to keep from tripping on it. The eleven year old was not pleased, the prince had snuck off from his lessons again and High Priest Shimon had seen fit to pull Seto from his own studies to bring him back. It wasn't fair, just because he was the only one who had a chance at finding his mischievous cousin….   
  
There came a slight cough from deeper inside the room, Seto's head snapped up at the sound, finally noticing the room's occupants. He paled considerably.   
  
"Ah, Pharaoh….High Priest Akunadin, Forgive me," he bowed low, flushing in embarrassment, acutely aware of how he must look, his robe rumpled and his hair a mess. He delicately moved his left hand to cover the dirt stain on the front of his robe. He'd gotten it while searching the garden, leaning over to look into those giant vases Atemu seemed to like so much. "I did not know you were in here."  
  
"Are you looking for someone, my son?" Akunadin asked wryly, behind the pharaoh's chair Atemu tried and failed to stifled a giggle. Akunamakanon watched as his nephew's eyes swung towards his chair, picking up on the sound, a slight smirk appeared on the apprentice priest's lips.  
  
"Yes Father, High Priest Shimon sent me to look for the prince. He snuck away from High Priest Mahaado again."  
  
"Atemu," said Akunamukanon sternly, leaning around to look behind him, his son met his gaze with wide, if not exactly innocent crimson eyes.  
  
"Yes, Papa?" He said sweetly. Akunamukanon took his son gently by the arm, steering him around the chair so he now stood in front of the pharaoh.   
  
"What did I tell you?"  
  
Atemu blew out his breath, making his golden bangs flutter, "That a prince must be wise to be a good king and that one must respect their tutors. Including Mahaado."  
  
"High Priest Mahaado."  
  
"High Priest Mahaado."  
  
Akunamukanon smiled, until recently, 16 year old Mahaado had been only an apprentice priest to the sennen ring , like Seto was to the sennen rod, and one of Atemu's partners in crime. He could understand how the prince had difficulty adjusting to the fact that Mahaado was now a High Priest, and was therefore to be respected and listened to.  
  
"So what must you do?"  
  
Atemu bowed his head, "I will return to my lessons, and apologise to Mahaado for my rudeness." Akunamukanon smiled and drew the boy in for an embrace. Atemu crushed his face against his father's chest, one hand coming to rest on the Sennen puzzle around the King's neck. Akunamukanon jumped slightly as he felt the puzzle warm under his son's touch. He drew back quickly, this always happened whenever Atemu was near, the Puzzle would seem to come alive, quivering with power whenever the prince approached, as though it was drawn to his son. Akunamukanon shuddered, it was as though the puzzle was calling to Atemu. It was not a thought he wanted to linger on. He looked down at his son, Atemu's eyes were fixed on the puzzle, their expression unreadable, the normally bright crimson dark with shadows.   
  
"Are these the ration counts?" Seto asked, his quest to retrieve his cousin momentarily forgotten as he approached the work table. "High Priest Shimon says that unless the Nile floods we will be forced to trade with the Hittites for supplies."  
  
Akunamukanon growled, trading with one of Egypt's enemies was not an option he wanted to pursue.   
  
"Why don't we just make food?" Atemu asked.  
  
"Why don't we just flood the Nile or sprout wings and fly while we're at it?" Seto said mockingly.   
  
His cousin turned to him, crimson eyes deadly serious. "Why not?"  
  
"Because we can't, you ninny!" Seto said exasperated, positions and rank momentarily forgotten as he shook his head. In all rights he shouldn't have been calling the crown prince a ninny, but as they were all wont to do when left alone, their respective stations in life dropped away to leave the bonds of family. Right now the apprentice priest was not lecturing the crown prince in the presence of the pharaoh and High Priest. No, right now Seto was lecturing his younger cousin in the presence of his uncle and father.  
  
"I don't see why not," said Atemu stubbornly. Abruptly he giggled, "I made Shimon fly."  
  
"And you nearly gave him a heart attack too.." said Akunamukanon idly as he ruffled his son's hair. "I'm not going have to lecture you about the proper use of shadow magic again, am I?"  
  
Atemu blushed and looked down. "No, Father."   
  
"Not everyone can do a you do, my prince," Akunadin spoke up mildly, "and it is not wise to go against the will of Geb. Even if it means our own suffering."  
  
"So even if we could make enough food with Shadow Magic, we wouldn't?" asked Seto curiously, "because of the Earth God?"  
  
Akunadin nodded, "I am sure Geb has his reasons for this famine. It would not be wise to go against his wishes."  
  
"Well, I think Geb is mean to be doing this," announced Atemu. "And I'm going to tell him that."   
  
Akunamukanon laughed.  
  
"These matters do not concern you," Akunadin said softly, laughing himself. "Did you not say you had lessons still?"  
  
"Ah!" Seto said, "I was supposed to bring Atemu back." The Prince made a face at that, clearly showing his displeasure at having to return to his studies.  
  
"Go with your cousin, Atemu," Akunamukanon said, gently pushing his son towards Seto, "a prince must be well educated and wise if he is to become a strong Pharaoh." Seto reached out and took the hand of the young prince, leading him towards the chamber exit. They had almost reached the door when Atemu stopped,  
  
"Father?"  
  
"What is it my son?"  
  
Atemu dropped his cousin's hand and walked back towards the king. Stopping in front of him, the child brought his hands up before his chest, pressing them tightly together. Atemu closed his eyes and bit down on his lip, clearly concentrating. Suddenly, the torches around them wavered, assaulted by some unknown wind, and it seemed to the king that the chamber suddenly grew dark and cold, as though Ra had journeyed to the underworld early. Akunamukanon felt the sennen puzzle fare red hot as the eye of Horus appeared briefly on his son's forehead. Then it was gone, the torches returned to normal, the puzzle cooled and in his hands Atemu held a perfect pomegranate.   
  
He held it out to his father, who took it hesitantly, face full of wonder.  
  
"To help," said Atemu softly, "with the famine." The boy smiled and whirled around, running back to where Seto stood by the door. Taking his cousin's hand once more, Atemu smiled serenely at the dumbfounded Pharaoh and High Priest. "May Ra watch over you My Pharaoh, High Priest." With that he and his cousin were gone.  
  
It was a few moments before either of the two men breathed again. Akunamukanon stared at the perfect piece of fruit in his hand before setting it down gingerly on the table before him. The brothers shared a wary look before Akunadin leant forward and snatched up the pomegranate , producing a knife from inside his sleeve. He held the knife up to the fruit, "what say you brother? Shall we eat to Egypt's future?"  
  
Akunamukanon sighed, "a little unorthodox, but we might as well. Very well, Akunadin, to Egypt's future."  
  
Akunadin smiled and brought the knife through the fruit, slicing it cleanly in two. Still smiling he handed one half to his brother, who took it gently, and gasped in horror at what he saw. Across from him Akunadin dropped his half with a curse, looking up to meet the gaze of the pharaoh with fearful eyes.  
  
The inside of Atemu's pomegranate was rotten , the fermenting fruit writhing with living shadows.  
  
*~*  
  
That night found Akunamukanon in the queen's private garden, along with his wife, brother and young nephew, recently returned from his lessons.  
  
"Where is Atemu?" the Queen asked as Seto made himself comfortable on the ground, leaning against his father's knee. "Is he still at his lessons?"  
  
"No," Seto said. "He's gone to the temple."  
  
"The temple?"  
  
Seto yawned, "something about talking to Geb….  
  
Akunamukanon and Akunadin's eyes met. Surely Atemu hadn't been serious….  
  
It was well past sundown when the young prince returned, safe in the company of his personal guards and the ever faithful Mahaado. He smiled when he saw them,   
  
"I told Geb to stop being so mean."  
  
The next day farmers awoke to the sight of a swollen and flooded Nile.  
  
Fin.  
  
Um, yes….well… 


End file.
